On my way to Giza

By |2024-06-04T06:39:37-04:00June 4th, 2024|Art made by Tracy McElfresh, Arts and Crafts, Fashion Dress Replicas, Uncategorized|

Don’t get me wrong, I love to watch sewists create content. Sometimes though it leads to a disheartening misconception that creating is an instant and easy process. You know, the camera blinks on a piece of fabric, a second or two of their sewing, and then, BOOM they have a three-piece suit!

Working in the sewing […]

The Painted Dress

By |2024-04-18T12:53:59-04:00April 18th, 2024|Art made by Tracy McElfresh, Arts and Crafts, Fashion Dress Replicas, Uncategorized|

Here’s the problem, as an artist, you see so many things that inspire you. Before you know it; the project has turned into a huge big thing. This project was no different! I hope you enjoy this collaboration project!

When Joy Hoover owner of Joy2Sew showed up at a Dayton […]

Dressmakers Year in Review

By |2023-12-26T06:14:52-05:00December 26th, 2023|Costumes, Fashion Dress Replicas, Formal Wear, Heirloom Sewing, Uncategorized|

My life is far from perfect, let’s just say I have a lot going on like everyone. Perhaps all of this making is my escape. I am so very grateful for all of these privileges and experiences 2023 has brought me. What a great year for growth! And it wasn’t just work – it was […]

Learning to Flat Pattern Block

By |2023-12-09T06:23:01-05:00December 9th, 2023|1940s Style Fashion, 1950s Style Fashion, 1960s Style Fashion, Fashion Dress Replicas, Formal Wear, Sewing Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized|

I believe it takes a lot of bravery and strength to start something completely new and even more to share it with the public. I hope you enjoy my new adventure. A few months ago I took a break from dressmaking.

Not running directly into the next sewing project opened possibilities to […]

Mondrian Was A Replicant

By |2022-08-22T18:18:49-04:00September 6th, 2021|1940s Style Fashion, 1960s Style Fashion, Fashion Dress Replicas, Sewing Tips and Tricks, Tracy Designs Dresses, Uncategorized|

What I didn’t know when I set out to replicate this dress is that it was from the 1960s. Yves St. Laurent designed this dress after Piet Mondrian‘s art work and debuted it at his fall/winter show in 1965-66. This made color blocking popular in different ways every decade to come after.

New Year, New You, Right?

By |2020-12-28T08:16:23-05:00December 28th, 2020|1960s Style Fashion, Fashion Dress Replicas, Uncategorized|

I have been racking my brain with goals for 2021. I’ve been making goals lists for the last 30 years. It’s been a successful practice although I may have skipped some like, “dance naked in the woods under a full moon one evening.” Some were just unrealistic hopes and dreams… Change is incredibly hard when […]

Star Wars, Now and Then

By |2020-10-26T07:03:39-04:00October 26th, 2020|Costumes, Fashion Dress Replicas, Formal Wear, Makes of 2009, Tracy Designs Dresses|

My very first white dress was a replica of Princess Leia’s formal gown from the 1977 Star Wars film, “A New Hope.” If that sounds like a lot it, it is. Almost ten years later and reading this old blog post helped me recognize my growth as both a writer and a designer.

My first experience […]

Crotch Oddities

By |2020-08-10T07:43:45-04:00August 10th, 2020|Fashion Dress Replicas, Indie Patterns, Uncategorized|

After buying a bunch of shoes through a Facebook ad on 4/20 I learned my lesson about not buying a bunch of shoes through a Facebook ad. That’s a longer story and not what this post is about, but I will say FB is constantly putting cuteness in my feed. I hope you enjoy my […]

Glitz, Glam, no Shame

By |2019-12-23T07:51:43-05:00December 23rd, 2019|1960s Style Fashion, Costumes, Fashion Dress Replicas, Sewing Tips and Tricks|

I believe talent is inherent and that skills are learned and built upon.

With each new fabric there is another medium that needs to be studied and practiced. Learning a new skill may also be stressful. There are always failures on the road to success.

I have made a few sequin dresses before that either had no […]

The 30 Minute Dress

By |2019-09-16T06:12:21-04:00September 16th, 2019|1980s Fashion, Fashion Dress Replicas, Makes of 2016, refashion, Tracy Designs Dresses, Uncategorized|

This is one of the easiest dresses I have ever made on my serger! Don’t despair if you do not have a serger you can use your sewing machine with the zig zag stitch and it will work fine.  Here is how I did it…..

Tracy sews the 30 minute dress Kettering

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